Passengers told of their terrifying experience after the plane made an emergency landing in Lisbon

By ELLIE CAMBRIDGE

3rd August 2016, 5:29 pm

Updated: 5th August 2016, 5:33 pm

THIS is the moment a pilot helped police escort a drunk man from a flight from Edinburgh to Madeira after he claimed to have a gun, and caused the plane to make an emergency landing.

A fellow passenger filmed the action as the intoxicated man was taken from the packed plane as it sat on the tarmac at Lisbon.

MIRRORPIX

The pilot speaks to the man about to be escorted off the plane in Lisbon

MIRRORPIX

The man leaves with little resistance after a brief and bizarre comment about his bags

Eyewitnesses told how the plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Monday nearly 600 miles from its destination after the man declared he had a gun and threatened to "shoot everyone on the plane".

The situation is said to have escalated during a row with a family sat in from of him.

Footage of the moment he is taken from the plane shows the confrontation between the drunk man and the pilot.

The pilot can be heard asking the man if he has any bags to take with him.

One witness told the Daily Record that the Scottish man had downed a litre of vodka and was seen taking pills.

A passenger on the flight, who did not wish to be named, told the paper: "It happened about two hours into the journey.

Alamy

The flight left Edinburgh airport on Monday before the drama took place in the air

"The man got into an argument with a family of four in front of him - he was shouting at their teenage son.

"The boy was in tears and his mum was visibly upset. Flight staff moved the family away from him and obviously they had to tell the pilot.

"The man was clearly inebriated ... he was swearing continuously and at one point he told everyone he was going to get off the plane while we were still in the sky."

A police officer on the flight sat near the man to try and calm him down as the inebriated man wanted to get out of his seat and open the back door.

He managed to talk the man into putting his seat belt on and sitting down as the plane began to land.

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Once the flight had landed two police officers boarded the plane and took the man away.

The footage shows him leaving apparently willingly but telling the pilot "this is your bus, these are your bags" as he leaves.

Families said they were left panic-stricken when crew members rushed through the plane as it suddenly began its descent.

It was only after landing that the pilot explained that the rowdy behaviour had left him no choice but to act.

One woman said hand luggage stored in overhead compartments was searched by the cabin crew during the diversion but no weapon was found.

Alamy

An easyJet flight was forced to divert after a passenger claimed to have a gun on board the plane

She said: "We weren't aware of trouble until we were told to fasten our seat belts as we were going to experience light turbulence. We were at the front of the plane and the disturbance was at the back.

"After about ten minutes, it became obvious we were descending and the captain said we were landing in Lisbon for a passenger to get off.

"At first we thought someone was ill but they hadn't asked if anyone medically qualified was on board."

After the plane landed in Lisbon, the captain told passengers that police would be boarding the jet.

The woman said: "The police entered the rear of the plane and took the passenger off before coming back on and taking statements from the pilot and crew."

She added: "Full credit to the captain and crew for their handling of the situation.

Alamy

The plane finally arrived in Madeira two hours late but not before passengers had been petrified by the ordeal

"The majority of passengers were not aware of trouble until we were in Lisbon."

Eventually the plane got to the end destination two hours later.

A spokeswoman for easyJet confirmed the incident took place and said: "Whilst such incidents are rare we take them very seriously, do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour on board and always push for prosecution.

"We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused."

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